Noninfectious uveitis refers to a category of inflammatory diseases involving the uvea, with the exception of infectious factors or masquerade syndrome. The diagnosis and follow-up of noninfectious uveitis that involving retina or choroid require fundus imaging techniques. Fundus autofluorescence is a noninvasive imaging technique. Compared with fundus colorized photography, fundus fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green angiography, fundus autofluorescence indicates the functional status of retinal pigment epithelium and photoreceptor cells in a better way, thus playing a role in the pathophysiological mechanisms investigating, early diagnosis, disease progression monitoring and prognosis estimating of noninfectious uveitis, such as Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease, Behçet disease, multifocal choroiditis, punctate inner choroidopathy, birdshot chorioretinopathy, multiple evanescent white dot syndrome, acute zonal occult outer retinopathy, acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy and serpiginous choroiditis.
The knowledge of uveitis of Chinese eye doctors has been improved in general. While the usage of glucocorticoid agents was more reasonable, other non-corticoid immunosuppressant get more attention recently. The usage of antibiotics also has being reduced gradually. The international impact of our uveitis research has been enhanced. However there are still some problems, such as big difference between different regions of uveitis research, still many misunderstandings on the treatment of uveitis complications, and the reasonable evaluation of intravitreal injection with glucocorticoid needs emphasis. In China Behcetprime;s disease and Vogt-Koyangi-Harada syndrome are the most common uveitis subtypes which can lead to blindness,but some rare subtypes of uveitis are also increasing such as syphilitic uveitis, acquired immune deficiency syndrome（AIDS），mycotic endophthalmitis and masquerade syndrome. In the future we need cooperative studies between multicenters to investigate the effectiveness of different treatment strategies for Behcetprime;s disease and Vogt-Koyangi-Harada syndrome, and to optimizing the best therapeutic schedule. We also need to pay more attentions to the clinical features of those uveitis subtypes which increased recently；and to investigate the prevention and therapeutic effect of induction of immune tolerance to uveitis.
Objective To analyze the results of diagnostic pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) in patients with uveitis of unknown cause. Methods This is a retrospective case series study. Sixty-five patients (67 eyes) with uveitis of unknown cause were enrolled in this study. There were 31 males (32 eyes) and 34 females (35 eyes). The ages were from 6 to 84 years, with the mean age of (55.00±18.56) years. All eyes were received PPV. Examination of vitreous samples consisted of microbial stains and culture, microbial DNA and antibody detection, cytokine measurement, cytology, flow cytometry and gene rearrangement detection. Results Vitreous analysis was positive in 40 of 67 eyes (59.7%). Positive results indicated bacterial endophthalmitis in 20 of 40 eyes (50.0%), lymphoma in 11 eyes (27.5%), viral IgM and IgG increased significantly in 3 eyes (7.5%), fungal endophthalmitis in 3 eyes (7.5%), IgG of toxocara increased significantly in 2 eyes (5.0%), IgG of toxoplasma Gondii increased significantly in 1 eye (2.5%). Conclusion The diagnostic yield of vitreous samples in uveitis eyes of unknown cause is 59.7%.
The etiology of uveitis is complex and the clinical manifestations are varied. Diagnosis and treatment are often very difficult. Detailed medical history, thorough ocular examination and laboratory examination are important basis for diagnosis. In recent years, with the appearance of microincision vitrectomy surgery, it has been applied widely in the diagnosis and treatment of uveitis. It can confirm diagnosis, manage the fundus complications of uveitis, and has certain therapeutic effects. But it is worth emphasizing that the indications of vitrectomy must be strictly controlled. Suitable indications and surgical timing are the key to the effective diagnosis and treatment of uveitis.